The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-16
TO MEASURE ELECTRICITY.
IN KNGLrsH soIENTTsT sETs UP a
PRACTICAL METER
It viii Tell How. Much L,shtnfng FIews
Over . Wire, md Tell II Net Only t. the
, Producer. bat 20 the Cousun.er.

II viii Ten How. nsueb LsshtutrE FIews
| Over Wire, mad Tell II Net OrIy 70 the
| Producer. bat 60 the Csusurser.
The distribution from central stations Of
| electricity for lighting purposes has long been
pretty wcll-worked-out problem. It has be-
come as much u settled fact as tho distribu-
| tion OF gas and IL as commonplace q detail In
| the mechanism Of every day city life. Ono
| difIlculty. however. has never boon satisfac-
torily overcome. Neither the consumers nor
| the producers have been satisfied with
tho only known oontrivances for measuring
tho amount Of electric power used and to be
paid for. It was only claimed for the measures
known aud In use that they got approximately
at tho amount OF consumption. The best me-
ter known could not DO relied upon when the
number OF alternating currents was increased
or dlminished-that is to say whom the speed
tho number of revolutions OF the dynamo. was
lessened or accelerated.
Electrical engineers have been for several
years puzzling their brains over this problem.
1t was OF very weighty Importance that It be
solved, for without the solution electric light
ing as business industry must be more or
less unsatisfactory to all who were interested
in 1t. It was not pleasing to consumer to be
taxed certain sum for each burner
in his establishment whether he used
any Of them or not. Neither was It
pleasing to him to be at the mercy Of meter
which was subject to spells OF feverish excite
ment And on tho other hand 1t was not en-
couraging to producers to know that their sem
tinels, whose duty 1t was to record.the quantity
Of the product had moments OF sluggish IAN
guor and allowed tho fast threads Of lightning
to spin through their fingers with little heed to
their length or strength.
Among those electricians who have been de-
voting good deal Of time and thought to this
branch Of the subject is Prof. George Forbes
Of England. Prof. Forbes is young man. Q
Fellow OF the Royal Society. and an authority
in Great Britain on electrical matters. After
O. full years study. nine months Of which
subject: Prof Forbes thinks links h a., has to
Which 1Shi will measure the amount Of electric
wire with sufficient eloseness and accuracy to
answer all practical purposes. Some idea OF
ns H sGs int s iqSy
FGprbss Is s sas
fed with the result. and his achievement has
ea n s as IN GREAT s4sn in
tufe Of s Gieetric Ensineers hold il NJ Forbsss
East
city, Mr.. Forbes, who has been In America only
ABOUT IOrtnlRnC, OK MS new lnFeHtlOus
gave a brief historical skelch Of the way in
which he set about solving the problem. and
explained the workings Of the instrument
twas the challenge OF m American electri.
cal engineer, he said, which spurred him to an
earnest effort. Discussing with this gentleman
the difficulties presented By the problem. the
American expressed the belief that its solution
was an impossibility, and defed Mr.. Forbes to
produce an accurate electric meter Thieh
alternate currents.
THAT same evening"" Mr.. Forbes says, II
went homo and tried q simple experiment.
which convinced me that had found the solu-
tion OF the problem. OF all the effects Of the
electric currents was sure that the only one
currents flowing alternately In different direc:
TONS. now universal In the modern system Of
distribution-was the creation Of heat In q
conductor. The experiment tried was to cut
q circular disk Iof paper into q spiral and to
support this Spiral at a centre on needle
point. Holding this In an upward current Of
air, the spiral rotates. tested this, and found
that a very feeble amount OF heat sufflced to
produce this effect, l then put some wire
rent through the wire. and found that the
sumption Of electric energy" 80" L 7